While mighty vanaras hauled boulders, a tiny squirrel did its part.
As Rāma’s great army built the bridge to Laṅkā, mighty vānaras carried huge boulders to the sea.
Among them, a small squirrel scurried back and forth — rolling in the sand, then shaking it loose between the stones to fill the gaps.
The powerful warriors laughed at so tiny a helper, but Rāma lifted the little creature tenderly onto his palm.
“Every effort offered with love is precious,” he said, stroking its back. Where his fingers touched, three pale stripes appeared, which squirrels are said to carry to this day.
The smallest service, given wholeheartedly, is as dear to the divine as the labour of the strong.
Illustration: AI-generated (Vedha360)